


Something Old, Something New

by wheredwellthe_brave_atheart



Series: Silver Sixpence [1]
Category: Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 13:31:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2111706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wheredwellthe_brave_atheart/pseuds/wheredwellthe_brave_atheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Finally, just over a week after his recovery, they had come together, and Artemis was still reeling from the sharp reality of it all. </p><p>And now here they sat, six months later, in Haven City attending the joining ceremony of Commander Trouble Kelp and Corporal Lili Frond.' </p><p>Holly and Artemis explore the new parameters of their relationship at Trouble and Lili's wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Old, Something New

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Artemis Fowl world, created by Eoin Colfer. I do not claim ownership over the word or any characters used. I am not profiting in any way from this work, it is my own invention and for entertainment only, and it is not purported to be a part of Eoin Colfer’s official story line.
> 
> Happy reading!

"Holly, are you really quite positive that my presence here tonight will not be unwelcome by the less, well, understanding guests-"

Holly laughed at his hesitation on the doorstep, the dark green of her short dress flashing with the movement. He knew she had been reluctant to forego her dress uniform, but Lili had insisted. "Artemis, I've told you already; I don't care, Trouble doesn't care, he's assured me Lili doesn't care - and beyond that it really doesn't matter." 

She hurried up the front steps and turned imperiously at the summit, holding out an impatient hand. "Now let's go, Fowl, we're late already! Foaly and Caballine got here a quarter of an hour ago, and his message said the place was packed already." And with that, she turned and entered the hall, leaving Artemis no alternative but to follow in her wake. 

He ducked low through the fairy-sized gilded doorframe, straightening as he stepped into the ornately decorated ballroom. Ironically, the lush Haven venue recalled human architecture, such as Russia's gold-topped Alexander Palace, or the lavish wealth of Versailles - fitting, he supposed for the "princess" bride, Lili Frond. Truly, he would have expected nothing less. This did not prevent him, however, from chuckling to himself at the honest-to-gods ice sculpture of King Frond dominating the far table. 

His mirth was not lost on Holly, who shouldered him along to their seats. "That's the first elfin king - you should be genuflecting, you know." 

But her eyes sparkled merrily, and she linked his elbow with her own as they made their way across the aisle to Trouble's side of the room. 

"Truthfully," Artemis murmured into Holly's pointed ear, "I feel as though the roles are reversed, and that I should be concerned upon entering this fairy dwelling."

"Yes, but you actually received an invitation," Holly teased, sliding past a slew of Trouble's old Recon buddies to locate their pair of cushions. 

"Yet another fairy custom humans have adopted in one way or another," Artemis commented as he settled himself onto his own tasseled and embroidered seat upon the polished floor. "One really has to wonder why pews ever came into fashion - they're far less comfortable than this array." 

Holly rolled her eyes as the musicians - a violin quartet of sprites hovering six metres above the end of the aisle - tuned their instruments in preparation. "As if Artemis Fowl II ever set foot in a church in his life. Wouldn't the holy water burn you?"

"At last, a similarity," Artemis murmured, and glanced at her; catching her gaze with more intensity then he had intended. 

This was all new, for them. At times it seemed as though nothing had changed - their recent bantering proof of the remaining ease of their camaraderie. But there was another layer, now. He was allowed to cup her face and brush his thumb across the smooth skin of her cheekbone; allowed to breathe in her natural perfume; allowed to hold her gaze for just a moment longer. Allowed to touch, hold, caress, kiss her. But the exact parameters of their relationship were still being - to use a technology analogy Foaly would appreciate - beta-tested. He was here as her date, after all. 

In those first few days after his revival, they had stumbled painfully around one another, each unsure of the other's emotions. He himself had been consumed with the hazy memory of a desperate kiss that had occurred as the tendrils of his soul wrapped themselves around the clone's mind. He had been convinced it was a dream - after all, everything on the Plane had felt like those precious moments between waking and dreaming, and that kiss had been no different. But finally, just over a week after his recovery, they had come together, and Artemis was still reeling from the sharp reality of it all. 

And now here they sat, six months later, in Haven City attending the joining ceremony of Commander Trouble Kelp and Corporal Lili Frond. 

He was broken from his reverie by the swelling of the music and the entrance of the first gift-bearer - Lili's friend carrying the carved protection rune for the couple's dwelling. As the rest of the gift-bearers filed in - the final one being Grub Kelp, bringing the gold rings - Artemis couldn't help but consider which of his own pieces would be preferable music at this point in the ceremony. 

'Perhaps the new one for Holly, the G-Major with strings-' But his thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of Trouble and Lili from opposite sides of the back hallway. The pair subsequently joined hands and walked down the frond-strewn aisle to the tiny elfin warlock, who then proceeded to recite the incantations from The Book. 

Artemis snickered incessantly throughout the entire ceremony - to be fair, that shade of purple really was ridiculous, not to mention the miniature figurines of the happy couple dispersed throughout the hall, or Lili's tiara - but Holly sat beside him and elbowed him in the ribs (admittedly holding back her own laughter) whenever his chuckles reached more obnoxious volumes. 

...

The meal following the ceremony began with promise. Artemis and Holly were seated with Foaly, Caballine, and many of Holly's colleagues from the LEP, so minimal shock brought on by Artemis's presence occurred. Furthermore, Artemis's seat offered a good view of the rest of the dining hall, as well as some extra leg room required by his (by Haven standards) long legs. 

The food, however, was obviously designed for fairies and not humans. 

Artemis was desperately trying to avoid thinking about the amount of insect-and-plant-based delicacies currently laid out on the long table in front of him when he suddenly felt the ghosting of fingertips on his thigh. 

He shifted his gaze to the right slowly, glancing at Holly's profile without turning his head. As he did so, he could feel her fingers skipping lightly up under the table to place her hand on his upper leg. 

Artemis's attentions were immediately diverted from the topic of meal selection to the much more captivating subject of the elf sitting next to him. Now this could be interesting.  
The scientific portion of his mind - which was, if he was being honest, a very large and often-used portion - began formulating hypothesis for exactly where this kind of action was likely to take them this evening. And the non-scientific portion of his mind had to admit the appeal of each and every one of his conclusions. 

He shifted slightly in his chair, and Holly reached out with her other hand to take a sip of champagne - which Artemis was still prohibited from consuming alongside her, as No. 1 was on the moon and could not remove that old hex - and she glanced sideways at him with a raise of one eyebrow and a small smirk. 

Just as Artemis was deliberating on what it was, exactly, he should be doing in this situation, Holly leaned closer and whispered something into his ear that, when she stood and sauntered out of the dining hall, made sure he had no alternative but to follow her through the narrow hallway and out into the sim-garden behind the building. 

When he rounded the corner, he was allowed only a moment to observe the garden's idyllic setting before his vision was obscured by Holly, who collided with him with such force he was pushed back against the side wall. 

"Hey," Holly breathed between kisses. "Did I mention - I get bored - at joining ceremonies?" she punctuated each word with a hard kiss to his jawline. 

"Did I mention - I'm never bored with you?" Artemis gasped with an uncharacteristic display of charm that would have made Orion proud.

Holly likewise seemed to appreciate the statement, as she hooked one leg around his waist, reaching up to wrap her hands around the back of his neck and pulling herself closer. 

They continued in this fashion for several minutes, and just as Artemis was running his hands down the length of Holly's dress, the clop of hooves could be heard emanating from inside the building. 

"D'arvit," they groaned simultaneously, Holly untangling herself from him and smoothing her hair as Artemis did the same, as Foaly trotted out around the corner. 

"Oh, that's real nice," he snorted when he spotted them, tapping his hind hoof. "Caballine sent me to find you two; thought there might be some sort of a problem. But it's fantastic to find everything so hunky-dory. Really."

Artemis grinned widely and adjusted his suit jacket as Holly stomped her way past Foaly, muttering something about nosy horses as she re-entered the building. Clearly the centaur wasn't fooled by their hasty retreat, and Holly knew it. 

"And you can stop smirking, Artemis," Foaly said pointedly over his shoulder as he followed Holly inside. 

But Artemis, characteristically, kept right on grinning, as he remembered just how conveniently small Haven actually was. It meant, after all, that this hall was perhaps only a dozen blocks away from Holly's apartment, where he would most certainly be spending the night. 

'All in all,' he thought as he strode inside to rejoin the party, 'this has turned into quite a wonderful evening.'

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed.


End file.
